Fiona McGier, EroticRomance Author

Ah yes, Spring is in the Air!  If you live in warmer climates it might actually be feasible to wear new clothing made of lighter fabrics, or show off pedicures with those new strappy sandals.  What do we get here in Chicagoland? 
NOAA weather forecast:
3/19-high of 30, flurries
3/20--1st day of Spring!  Mid 20s, flurries, windy
3/21--Flurries, low 30s...
I could go on, but why?
Obviously it's not my favorite season!

When I was a kid I used to wonder why it was said that Spring was when a young man's fancy turned to love when it's too cold to wear any revealing clothing: we're all still bundled up in down jackets.  I always feel more inclined toward romance in the summer...when it's hot.  The heat and humidity might wreak havoc with my hair, but there's something about the long, sultry nights, that makes me want to get even hotter and stickier!  My husband always says, "It's too hot to sleep, so..."  Yeah!
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But I'm excited to join XOXO's Spring Blog Hop because I'm always thrilled to introduce myself to new readers.  So even though I'm not published by them, I've tagged along for the fun! As you can see by the colorful logo above, (I love butterflies!  They are among the favorites of my many tattoos!) the blog hop is running from March 20-March 29.
There are lots of great prizes being offered by all 56 authors (I'm #41), so you'll probably run into me as you visit, since I'll be playing along also! 
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What am I offering?  A button that says, Reading is Sexy, and an autographed copy of my latest book, the paranormal vampire romance, Mayan Prophecy Fulfilled, if you live in the USA.  If you live in another country, I'll send you the eBook.  Leave a comment below telling me: which season is your favorite and why.  I'll choose the winner on Saturday, March 30, but not until late at night when I'm home from work!
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And there's a super grand prize of multiple eBooks being offered by OXOX writers! One comment will be chosen from each of the participating authors' blogs, and that e-mail will be entered into the grand prize drawing! So be sure to leave your e-mail with your comment.

Remember to read the post below this one and leave a comment for a chance to receive an autographed paperback of Love Therapy.
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I'm also on Annette Snyder's 50 blogs for 50 states, talking about my home state of Illinois: http://annettesnyder.blogspot.com
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This Saturday, on the 16th of the month as usual, I'll be the blogger on: http://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/
Come join in the discussion as I ask "Why read?"
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And on Monday the 18th, I'll be doing a guest blog on a sister author's site for her "Love is Blind" blogathon: http://juliettesprings.com/love-is-blind-blog-a-thon/
Come read my post and leave a comment and a week later I'll award an eBook of your choice of the 2 books I talk about in my blog.
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I've got more fun happening the last week of March, then in May my next book debuts!
See you around the 'net!

3/29--And the winner is: Laurell Cremant!  Your book is on its way to you!  Enjoy!

So here in Chicagoland, it's been snowing since the middle of the night, non-stop.  We've got about 4-5 inches on the ground already and it's not supposed to stop until midnight.  I've shoveled twice and you can barely tell!  Schools are cancelled, but the weirdest thing is that despite living in a neighborhood with lots of kids, I don't hear them out playing!  What's up with that?  When my own kids were young, and I was doing home daycare, there were always 6-8 kids here (4 didn't get picked up by anyone because they're mine!)  On days like this they'd be running out to yell and scream, make snow angels, build snow forts, stage snow battles, and bury their sister's Barbies and their characters (NOT dolls, Mom, characters!)  There would be wet snow gear everywhere when they came in from the cold, and the whole house smelled like wet boots, wet socks and sweaty kids.  Plus whatever I'd have baked for them to enjoy with hot chocolate when they noticed they were cold.  This recipe was always one of their favorites.
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
4 ripe bananas, mashed to make 1 1/2 cups
Add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to bananas
Cream 10 Tbsp. Crisco or other shortening (butter works also)
Add 1/2 cup sugar and mix well.
Add 2 eggs and blend well.
Add the bananas to the above mixture and blend well.
Add 1 3/4 cups flour mixed with 1 tsp. baking soda-blend well.
Add 1/2 to 3/4 cups mini chocolate chips, mix them in well.
Place about 3-4 Tbsp. mixture in each of 24 muffin baking cups.
Bake at 325 degrees for 22 minutes.
For people with diabetes, like my oldest son, each muffin is a generous 1 carb. These make a great quick breakfast or snack.

And remember, I'm wondering what you think of romance novels that involve single parents.  Love Therapy has a very young child involved.  The first two Reyes Romances involve single mothers with pre-teens.  Do you enjoy reading about the extra complications of romance that involves children?  If so, do you prefer the kids to be very young, or doesn't it matter?  **Leave a comment here and sometime in the last week of March I'll choose a winner to receive an autographed paperback of Love Therapy.**

Speaking as a Mom, it was easier to schedule romance when the kids were all much younger, and went to bed earlier and stayed there.  Pre-teens and teenagers are all too aware of what Mom and Dad, (or their parent and some stranger) might be doing when the bedroom door is locked.  That's when you have to get creative and schedule date nights at motels.  And teenagers have the ability to stay up all night, so good luck with trying to outlast them!  Ah, what we do for love, eh?

ON March 28th, there will be a question on the site, about my first Mayan vampire book, Prophecy of the Undead. A correct answer gives you a chance to win an eBook of it.  There are lots of other prizes, and a match the covers contest.  Have fun and good luck!  I'll be there often, hoping to win some new reads for myself!





I'm also working on setting up publicity for my next erotic romance novel, For the Love Of His Life,  coming out May 1st.  And working on the sequel to that book. 

Check out the page for Reyes Romances #5 and 6...I just got a great new review of Analysis of Love from Carin at My Reading Obsession!
And speaking of my favorite passionate family, the Reyes...

I was at a baby shower over the weekend, for a cousin of mine and his wife, who are expecting their first child.  They are both excited, but he is especially concerned about how to be a good Dad. I was thinking about what advice I could give him, then realized that adding a child to a romance changes everything.  There aren't just two people involved anymore. I'd like to offer readers a chance to win a paperback of the 6th book in my Reyes Family Romances series, Love Therapy.  Head on over to the page that explains what this book is about, read the reviews, decide if you'd like to add it to your TBR pile.  Then leave a comment here telling me what you think about romance that involves a single parent.  Does the parent-child dynamic enhance the story, or detract from it?